The end of the beginning
by Nemo
Summary: My latest HP fic. It's a standalone, seventh year fic which has probably been done about a million times before but my muse made me do it. Please r/r.


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The End of the beginning and the beginning of the end

AN. A seventh year fic from me. For some reason my muse is being very co-operative at the moment, oh well, ours not to reason why. I know about a million people have written a seventh year fic but my muse made me do it.

Disclaimer: Any characters and places you recognise belong to the one and only J. K. Rowling OBE (we are not worthy). The plot and any characters I _do_ make up are © Nemo 2001.

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Harry Potter sat in a hot room feverishly working on his NEWT exam in History of magic. He had to write an essay on the finer points of the history of Azkaban, the wizard prison which was on an island far out in the north sea, it was guarded by hooded and cloaked dementors. Harry shivered despite the warmth of the room at the thought of the hideous apparitions. He pulled himself together, he only had fifteen minutes to finish his essay.

He finished his essay with only a minute to spare and quietly handed over his parchment when their teacher, professor Binns asked for it. He was glad to be out of the stifling room as he waited for his friends to escape the throng which had built up by the door.

'Hi Harry,' said Ron Weasley, looking relieved that they were out, 'how do you think you did?'

'Okay, I think,' said Harry, 'of all things, it did have to be about dementors and Azkaban though,' he shuddered.

'No need to ask how you did, is there Hermione?' Said Ron teasingly to their friend Hermione Granger who was the current head girl.

'Really Ron,' said Hermione looking both hurt and flattered.

'What's our next exam?' Asked Harry.

'Care of magical creatures,' replied Hermione, 'lets hope it's not those skrewts again.' They all groaned. Care of magical creatures was taught by their friend Hagrid, the game keeper. Hagrid was a wonderful person but had a rather unfortunate blind spot when it came to animals, he saw them as cute, fluffy, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly; whilst other people saw them as hideous monsters who weren't petty enough to bother with the flies.

'When is that exam?' Asked Ron, 'I've lost my timetable.'

'Ron,' Hermione looked shocked, 'and what would you do if Harry or I weren't around?'

'Ask Dean or Seamus,' said Ron promptly. Hermione pursed her lips and Harry desperately tried not to laugh.

'It's at half past two,' said Hermione, glaring daggers at him.

'Great, we can have a rest,' said Ron.

~

Ron and Hermione bickered all the way to their care of magical creatures exam. Harry, watching them and rolling his eyes reflected on how little had changed over time. Then, he looked back at the castle and saw fresh names on the memorial to those killed by Voldemort and reflected on how much had changed. Sighing, he hurried to catch up with Ron and Hermione.

They reached Hagrid's hut at two twenty-five and stood waiting with the rest of their class. At about half past, Hagrid emerged. The years since they had first met Hagrid seemed to have completely passed Hagrid by, he was still the same Hagrid who had given Dudley, Harry's gross cousin, a pig's tail when he had first met Harry.

'Righ',' said Hagrid as he looked down on them, 'are yeh all here?'

'Yes,' they all chorused.

'Righ', now, come round back an' I'll give you yer tests.' They followed him hesitantly and gasped, a unicorn stood in the paddock where they had their lessons, it was a bright white, almost too bright to look at. It shied away when it saw them coming but did not bolt.

'Yer test,' said Hagrid, grinning at the stunned looks on their faces, 'is ter show that yeh can deal with a unicorn.' They all looked at the unicorn and moved a bit closer.

~

A few hours later, they were walking back to Gryffindor tower, all had got on well with the unicorn and Hagrid had told them their grade already. They were very upbeat and were even happier that their last exam, defence against the dark arts, was tomorrow. After their exams were over, they had no lessons until they left the school. As they laughed and talked, Harry noticed that his shoe lace was undone, bending down to tie it, he felt as though someone had put a hook in his navel and pulled hard. His shoelace had been a portkey! He slowly straightened up, dreading what he would see. He had appeared in the middle of a dank dungeon, masked faces leered at him through the door, he felt sick.

~

Ron and Hermione were frantic, they had been walking to Gryffindor tower after their exam and had turned to see Harry bending to do up his shoe lace. As they watched, he had vanished.

'Ron, get Dumbledore,' shouted Hermione, 'I'll check he's not around here.' Ron ran in the direction of the castle. He ran up to a statue of a gargoyle and wondered desperately what the password was.

'Gobstoppers?' He guessed frantically, 'Chocolate frogs? Let me in.' The gargoyle remained stubbornly in place as Ron began to panic. He began shouting any sweet names that he knew and finally bellowed at the top of his voice, 'professor Dumbledore!'

'Weasley, what are you doing here? And making such an unseemly noise,' growled a voice behind him, it was professor Snape, the potions teacher and Harry, Ron, and Hermione's enemy, at the moment though Ron was willing to ask help from anyone.

'Professor,' he gasped as Snape was about to launch into a tirade and take a fifty points from Gryffindor, 'Harry disappeared, he was doing his shoelace and he disappeared.' Snape turned white and muttered a password to the gargoyle which leapt aside. Ron stepped onto the moving stairs and came up a second later in Dumbledore's office.

'Wait here,' hissed Snape. Ron looked around him at all of the fascinating gadgets, the sleeping portraits, and Fawkes, the phoenix.

'Mr. Weasley,' said Dumbledore with a small smile on his face, 'what can I do for you?'

'Harry's missing,' said Ron simply. Dumbledore's smile vanished and he looked extremely grave.

'How did this happen?' Said Dumbledore, looking worried. Ron told him as quickly as possible. When Ron had finished, he looked even more grave, 'take me there,' he said to Ron. For one so old, Dumbledore could move very quickly, Ron had to run to keep up with him, tall though he was. When they finally got to the place where Harry had disappeared, they found Hermione looking shaken and holding a wand that they recognised as Harry's.

~

Harry didn't know how long he had been left in the dungeon. He tried to sleep but his scar felt as though it was made of hot lead. He didn't look at the door because he knew that what he would see would make him feel worse. The door opened and a black-cloaked and hooded man, at least he presumed it was a man, came in. You will come with me, the words formed in his head yet he was sure the person hadn't said them. Reluctantly, he stood and was seized by two guards. He was lead through a maze of dank and gloomy passages all filled with people. Finally, he was lead up a flight of broad steps and down a torch-lit corridor to a room with great oaken doors, He felt a familiar wash of coldness and saw that they were guarded by dementors. He was whisked past and felt a little better, although not much, when he was inside the room. In a chair at the front sat a tall figure. It was completely bald and pale of face. It's bright red eyed bored into him and his scar hurt unbearably. It grinned evilly showing pointed teeth.

'We meet again, Harry Potter,' it spat, 'many times you have caused my downfall but now, I am victorious.' Harry wanted to reply but found that he could not speak.

'Now,' said the figure nastily, 'let us re-acquaint ourselves. Crucio!' Searing pain ripped through Harry. The audience broke into sadistic laughter as Harry's form contorted with the intense pain. Harry gritted his teeth to prevent himself from crying out and giving them even more satisfaction. Finally, the curse was lifted.

'Did you enjoy that, Harry Potter?' Asked the dark lord nastily Harry did not answer and the dark lord laughed. 'I would use the Imperius curse to make you answer but I seem to remember you are resistant.' His smile told Harry that this was not necessarily a good thing. As the dark lord cast the Cruciatus curse on him again and he seized up in pain, he thought despairingly of his friends, 'where were they?'

~

Ron and Hermione were sitting with Dumbledore in his office.

'Voldemort,' (Ron winced), 'must have turned Harry's shoelace into a portkey,' said Dumbledore, 'luckily, I have a tracking charm on Harry.' Hermione and Ron looked stunned but didn't question this. 'I will follow him, alone,' said Dumbledore, giving them a piercing gaze which forestalled any argument, 'if I hear that you have attempted to follow me, it will be a thousand points from Gryffindor and I am not joking. Now, give me Harry's wand.' Dumbledore took Harry's wand and walked out of the room.

~

Harry was unceremoniously dumped back in his cell when lord Voldemort had finished torturing him and he fell at once into a dreamless sleep. He awoke several hours later with a groan. As he became fully awake, he evaluated his injuries. He had a black eye, cuts all over his face, a broken leg, and a sprained wrist. He groaned and unintentionally looked at the door, what he saw made his heart race, professor Dumbledore!

'Professor,' called Harry weakly.

'Alohomora,' said Dumbledore and stepped into Harry's cell. 'How are you Harry?'

'Not great,' said Harry, 'my leg's broken because he twisted it so far and I've hurt my wrist.' Looking grave, Dumbledore healed Harry's injuries and handed him his wand.

'Now, you must confront the dark lord,' said Dumbledore, 'this is your fight and your destiny. I can advise but I cannot intervene. On your shoulders is the fate of the world. You must face him alone, I will leave now but we shall meet again in one way or another. Before I go, let me tell you this, you are allowed to use any spell here, this is not a game, any spell, there is only one way to stop him. Good luck, Harry.' Dumbledore stepped back and disapparated. Harry shuddered and felt in his pocket; amazingly, his invisibility cloak was there. Putting it on, he slipped out and walked down the passage.

~

A few hours later, Harry was still walking around, he was hopelessly lost. He was looking for a way to get to Voldemort. He walked down a corridor which looked the same as the last. After a further hour, he was beginning to give up hope when he suddenly caught sight of the wide stairs up to the next level, to Voldemort. Not knowing whether this was something to be happy about or not, he walked up to them and began to climb them. His heart leapt to his throat and began to beat hard. He began to sweat and yet feel so cold at the same time. He still had his wand in his hand as he took off his cloak and walked purposefully forward towards the great oak doors. 'Alohomora,' he said, after collecting himself and formulating a plan of action. He gulped and walked into the throne room.

'Well, I knew you would be along soon Potter,' said Voldemort as Harry entered, 'this is the final day of reckoning between us, my final victory.'

'No, your final defeat,' said Harry, 'you killed my parents and so many others, their deaths will not have been in vain.'

'Such touching sentiments,' said the dark lord, 'now, prepare to meet your parents again. Avada kedavra!' As the curse was said, someone threw themselves in front of Harry and the burst of green light which had erupted from Voldemort's wand hit them. It was Wormtail! Wormtail, traitor, liar, death eater. Wormtail, who had resurrected Voldemort using Harry's own blood. Shaking his head in wonderment, Harry turned his attention to Voldemort. The dark lord looked furious that one of his servants had done this, and glared at Harry.

'Now, lord Voldemort, Tom Marvolo Riddle, is your final defeat,' said Harry coldly. He thought on what he was about to do, then said two words which had haunted him for years, which kept him awake at night, which would put an end to the dark lord, 'Avada kedavra!' He stared straight at the dark lord as he said this. The green light which his wand emitted hit the dark lord and he crumpled. The dark lord's body began to disintegrate but not before Harry noticed a scar on the dark lord's forehead looking for all the world like a bolt of lightning. As Harry continued to stare at the point where the dark lord had been, the death eaters began to murmur among themselves, and showed each other their arms, Harry looked and saw that the dark marks branded into them were gone. As the death eaters stared in surprise, a musical cry was heard and an enormous red bird came to Harry and sat on his shoulder. Fawkes, the phoenix. As Harry stood there, the death eaters began to disapperate. Suddenly, three people stood on the spot where the dark lord had been. All looked like ghosts and seemed to glide towards Harry. As they grew closer, Harry could see that they were two men and a woman. Harry recognised all of their smiling faces as they grew closer.

'Mum, dad, Tom Marvolo Riddle?' He said.

'Yes Harry,' said his mother, 'by his death, we are free.'

'But why is he here?' He said with a gesture towards Tom.

'To ask your forgiveness,' said the ghost of Tom, 'that man was not me, he was my evil side who took over. Everybody has an evil side but I did not fight mine hard enough. I am sorry Harry. I would like to thank you for setting me free.' He stepped back, smiled at Harry and vanished.

'Harry, we do not have much time with you,' said his father sadly, 'we would have loved to have seen you grow up, but we can see you now, as you come of age, in your final triumph. You set our spirits free after you killed him, we have been watching over you since we died, waiting to help guide you.'

'Now, we have to make our journey,' said his mother, 'we cannot stay any longer, we love you. Do not be sad, we will meet again at the end of all. Now, we must go. Goodbye Harry, remember you still have your entire life ahead of you.'

'Bye mum, bye dad,' sniffed Harry, tears rolling down his cheeks, 'I'll never forget you.' Harry's parents smiled at him, faded, and vanished leaving him alone in the castle with Fawkes.

~

Harry stood looking at the spot where his parents had been for a long time. At length, he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned so suddenly that Fawkes flew into the air. Dumbledore stood there.

'Is he dead sir?' Asked Harry.

'Yes Harry, he is dead,' said Dumbledore heavily, 'though only at the cost of many lives.'

'I saw my parents,' said Harry, 'and Tom Riddle, he asked for forgiveness.'

'Of course, lord Voldemort was only half of him. He did have a good side. It was buried deep within him, but you freed it. Now, shall we go?'

'Yes sir,' said Harry, 'let's go.' Dumbledore took out a muggle drink can and told Harry to touch it, they were then yanked to the very point in the Hogwarts grounds where Harry had disappeared.

~

Dumbledore insisted that Harry spent the night in the hospital wing before he told his story to anyone. The next morning, Harry was feeling better and had had an undisturbed night for the first time in weeks. When Harry had eaten his breakfast, Dumbledore came to get him and told him to go with him. Harry followed Dumbledore to his office. When they arrived, Dumbledore sat behind his desk and Harry sat in front of him. Dumbledore surveyed Harry with his twinkling gaze, 'Now Harry, I would like you to tell me what happened. I will magically record what you tell me. Please start at where you were abducted.' Harry told Dumbledore the story. 'Do you have any questions for me, Harry?' Asked Dumbledore gently.

'Why was I able to kill him?' Asked Harry, 'I thought he was immortal.'

'There is no such thing as true immortality Harry,' said Dumbledore, 'even if a thing continues to live, it cannot continue for ever. Even if it is immortal, that does not mean that it cannot be killed by another. No one but you could have killed Lord Voldemort because you have a bit of him in you and he had a bit of you in him. Do not forget that he used your blood to return so he could not resist any spell from you as he could from another.'

'Was I right to use Avada kedavra?' Asked Harry.

'Yes,' said Dumbledore without hesitation, 'that curse is ever the easiest and quickest way to rid the world of evil. I used it on Grindalwald all those years ago. If anyone with an evil heart casts it for revenge and hate; they lose a little bit of themselves; if anybody with good intentions for others uses the curse, it is always justified.'

'Thank you professor,' said Harry looking relieved.

'Now,' said Dumbledore, 'we must have a feast to celebrate.'

'Yes sir,' said Harry.

~

'Students, faculty members, and all else who are with us,' said Dumbledore in strident tones, he was at the head table and had called for silence in the crowded hall, 'today is a historic day. Today is a glorious day. For years, we have lived in the shadow of fear of lord Voldemort; I am happy to say that this shadow is now gone. Yesterday, Voldemort abducted one of our students, Mr. Harry Potter.' There was much whispering at this pronouncement and heads craned over to see Harry. 'Mr. Potter endured the torture of the dark lord and escaped from the cell in which he was being held,' Dumbledore continued, seemingly oblivious to the whispers, 'he engaged in a duel with the dark lord and defeated and killed lord Voldemort. From today, the wizarding world is free from the threats and the dark mark. Be warned though, evil still exists. Voldemort's death eaters escaped and one of them may emerge as a figurehead for evil. Always be on your guard for those with evil intentions. A great evil is gone but not all evil is gone. But let us be merry, Mr. Potter has saved us from this evil once again and for this I heartily thank him. I award him five hundred points for Gryffindor for his valour and an award for services to the school. I also proclaim the next week as a holiday in his honour. Now, let us rejoice.' He raised a goblet and said, 'to Harry Potter.' The toast was repeated around the school and Harry blushed scarlet.

The feast began in earnest with much cheering and smiling. People stared at Harry even more than usual and he felt extremely embarrassed. He sat with Ron and Hermione and quietly related the story of what had happened in Voldemort's castle.

'And the ministry want to give me a "debriefing" tomorrow,' said Harry, looking sick at the thought.

~

Over the next few days, various people asked Harry what had happened. He had his ministry "debriefing" under the influence of veritaserum and this finally convinced Fudge that Voldemort has been back. Hit-wizards had been sent to recover Pettigrew's body to prove the innocence of Sirius Black after obtaining the location from Dumbledore. After this, things all seemed to move in a blur. Harry and Ron's NEWT results had been almost as good as Hermione's and almost before they knew it, it was their last day at Hogwarts. Their graduation was that night and the three friends sat around the lake enjoying the late July sun and talking about their graduation later that day.

'I have to make a speech,' said Harry, looking glum, 'I hate making speeches.'

'So do I,' said Hermione, 'come on Harry, you are head boy.'

'I know,' Harry made a face.

'It's part of the job,' said Hermione, 'you'll be fine Harry.'

'Of course you will,' said Ron.

'I suppose you're right,' said Harry, 'after all, what is a hall full of people after Voldemort?'

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AN. Well, that's the end. This is a standalone fic. Hope you like it.

Thought for the day:

__

"First, they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out, for I was not a Jew;

Then they came for the communists, and I did not speak out, for I was not a communist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out, for I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me."

Written by a victim of the Nazis.

Please review.

__

Pax vobiscum, Nemo 5/1/01


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